2024-10-19 11:00:03 +01:00
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---
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tags:
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- electronics
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---
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# LEDs
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LED' stands for **Light Emitting Diode**, a [circuit]() component that emits
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light. The symbol for an LED is displayed below:
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2024-10-20 19:50:20 +01:00
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2024-10-19 11:00:03 +01:00
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A **diode** is a special kind of component that only permits current to flow
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through it in one direction. To achieve this it has very low resistance in one
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direction to allow current flow and high resistance in the other direction to
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impede current flow. This feature of diodes is clearly represented in the
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generic diode circuit symbol:
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2024-10-20 19:50:20 +01:00
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2024-10-19 11:00:03 +01:00
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An LED diode lights up when the right amount of current flows through it. A
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standard LED has a maximum current of 20mA. An appropriate
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[resistor](Resistance.md#resistors)
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must therefore be added to the circuit to ensure the current doesn't exceed this
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amount.
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